Perils of a Permanent Marker
by pottermum
Summary: James and Al have got their hands on their dad's permanent marker. Look out, Harry and Ginny!


It's an early Sunday morning in a little village called Godric's Hollow. Some residents were heading for the morning service in the little church. Some children were already up and outside, trying to have a snowball fight with the unexpected snow that fell overnight. Winter was on the way, but the day was supposed to be cool, not cold.

In the kitchen of a cosy home, thirty year old Auror, Harry Potter was preparing breakfast for his family. Sausages were browning, bacon was crisping and bowls of cereal and a pitcher of milk were placed in readiness on the table.

Two little boys came into the kitchen. When they saw their dad, they cried out, "Daddy, you're back!" Harry smiled and turned to greet his sons with hugs and kisses. He had been called out late in the afternoon the day before, on a raid in Knockturn Alley. By the time he had returned home, his boys were in bed asleep.

"It's Daddy Breakfast Day, yay!" cried five year old James Sirius.

"Yay," copied four year old Albus Severus, who tended to agree with everything his big brother said.

"We LOVE your breakfast, Daddy. You're better than Mummy," said James. Al nodded.

"Who's better at breakfast than Mummy?" asked Ginny, cheerfully, entering the kitchen.

She kissed the top of her boys heads, then went behind Harry and slid her arms around his waist and nuzzled the back of his neck. "Good morning, love," she said huskily.

"Yes, it was," agreed Harry, turning and taking her in his arms and kissing her properly on the lips, much to the boys disgust.

"Ew, gross," said James, wrinkling his nose.

"Ew," agreed Al, although he didn't really understand. Mummy and Daddy did that all the time, after all.

Harry and Ginny laughed and pulled away from each other, Ginny patting Harry on the butt. Ginny gathered the paper in her arms, made a pot of tea and took it all to the table. Harry turned his attention away from his beloved wife, and back to the food.

"Ok, who wants what for breakfast? Sausages, bacon, cereal. I can do toast..."

"Eggs?" asked Al, who liked dippy eggs with toast for soldiers.

"Hash browns!" declared James. Al perked up and nodded.

Ginny laughed. "That's what you get for taking them to that Muggle place for brekky that morning. What was it called-Mac, Mac-"

"Muggle Maccas," said James. "Daddy, can we go there now? I want a hash brown."

"I can make hash browns, but not today, boys. We may go another day, if you are good," said Harry.

"There's always a catch," huffed James, his chin resting on his fist. His mum coughed, and he looked at her. She nodded at his elbow on the the table, and he removed it.

"So, dippy soldiers with toast for Al, there you go son. James, how about a sausage and some bacon?"

"Yes please, Daddy." Harry brought a plate over and placed it in front of James. He went back to the counter, and brought over a plate for Ginny and himself. They all tucked into their delicious breakfast, talking occasionally. As they were nearly finished, Harry spoke to the boys.

"So, what did you guys get up to last night?" he asked, yawning.

"Uncle Ron came over with Rosie, and we played for a while. He's got a new tootoo," said James.

"Tattoo," corrected Harry, chuckling. "What did he get this time?"

"A heart with Aunt 'Mione's name in it," said James, finishing his juice. "Can I go draw now?" he asked. Ginny nodded.

"Plates and cups on the sink, boys. Your colouring books and markers are on the table in the lounge. ONLY colour in the books, okay, not on the table, the lounge, the rug or the walls. Understand?" asked Ginny firmly.

Both boys nodded and left.

"So, Ron finally got the tattoo he's been talking about for ages. Where did he get it?" asked Harry, chuckling.

"On the chest, right over his heart," said Ginny. "More tea, love?"

"No thanks, love. God, I thought he might have been a bit more original than that," scoffed Harry.

"I think it's quite romantic. What girl wouldn't want her man to have her name on his body for life. It kind of marks him as hers. I find that sexy," sniffed Ginny, putting her ccup on the sink.

Harry grabbed her waist and pulled her onto his lap. "Sexy, hey? So, you'd like it if I got a 'Ginny' tattoo, would you? 'Property of Ginny Potter' hmm?" teased Harry, kissing his wife.

Ginny giggled. "I think I like the sound of that. Perhaps tonight, we can find out just where on your body this tattoo should go," she said, kissing him hungrily. Then they were interrupted by a voice at the door.

"Don't you ever stop? Mummy, Al needs more paper, he wants to draw some dragons for Uncle Charlie," said James.

"Harry, why don't you go get the paper for Al, then go take a nap. I'll clean up in here. Breakfast was delicious, as always, thanks love," said Ginny, giving Harry a quick peck, as James was still standing there watching them.

"Why you gotta kiss all the time? I asked Uncle Ron, and he told me if he could get used to it, then I could too. What does that mean, Daddy?" asked James, following Harry to his office. Harry chose to ignore Ron's comments to his son.

He rummaged through his drawers, looking for some paper. He picked up the papers on his desk and put them to one side. A thick marker rolled off the desk. James picked it up and handed it back to his dad.

"That's a really good marker, Daddy," he said. Harry nodded, distracted. He finally found the paper he was looking for, handed it to James, then returned the other papers to his desk, using the marker as a paperweight. They left the office and went back to Al. James handed the paper to Al.

"Here you go, Al. Now, can you boys colour quietly? Daddy's going to lay right here and have a nap, okay" yawned Harry. "We're going to the Burrow later. If you're good, we might be able to go for a fly."

"Ok Daddy," the boys said. Harry drifted off to sleep, Al was concentrating on his dragon drawings , and James had finished colouring his 'Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle' colouring book.

James decided to practise his letters. He was pretty good at the straight line ones, like A and H, but had trouble with the round ones, like J and G. Especially S. Ginny went past on her way upstairs, stopping to praise their efforts. She tousled Harry's hair.

Harry moaned a bit in his sleep, and rolled over onto his back. One arm was flung over his head, which allowed his pyjama t-shirt to ride up, exposing his abdomen. His pyjama bottoms rode low on his hips.

Al giggled, pointing at Harry's belly button. "Daddy's got an inny, like you, James. Mine's an outy, like Mummy's."

James had been concentrating on the letter G, and was rather pleased with his effort. He looked up, showing Al his letter G. Al was still pointing to Harry's belly button. Something clicked in James's mind, as he remembered what he had overheard his parents talking about. "So, you'd like it if I got a Ginny tattoo? I like the sound of that."

Al looked down at his drawings. "James, have you got a black marker? My dwagons need black awound them."

James looked at Al. "No, but I know where we can get one. Come with me."

They went down the hall and into Harry's office. The marker was right where Harry had left it not long ago. "Did Daddy say we can use it?" asked Al.

"He didn't say we couldn't," replied James, with childish logic.

"Ok," agreed Al. They went back into the lounge, and Al used the marker to outline his drawings.

"That looks really good, Al," said James, impressed. Al smiled proudly.

Harry moaned again, flinging his other arm over his head. James went to stand next to his Dad, watching him sleep.

"Hey Al, wanna make Mummy and Daddy really happy? He asked. Al looked up and nodded.

"We can give Daddy a tootoo, with Mummy's G. Look, we'll put it around his belly button, see. G plus an inny makes Ginny," explained James.

"Can we dwaw on Daddy?" asked Al, doubtfully.

"Mummy said don't draw on the table, the lounge, the rug or the walss. So, it would be fine to draw on Daddy. Plus, Mummy wants this," reasoned James.

"What do I gotta do?" asked Al.

James shrugged. "Let me try first. If I need help, I'll tell you."

He got the marker and leaned over. With his tongue hanging out in concentration, he quickly drew a big black G all around Harry's belly button.

"Done!" exclaimed James, loudly. Loud enough to wake Harry up.

"Hey boys, how long was I asleep? How's the-what the HELL?"

Harry jumped off the lounge and looked at his stomach. He rubbed it, but it didn't smear. He looked at his boys.

"What did you do?" he asked, astounded.

Al pointed to James. James, who had the permanent marker behind his back, handed it over. Harry paled as he took it, reading the small instructions on the side. "Oh no, no, no, no," he cried, running up the stairs.

He went straight into his and Ginny's bathroom, scrubbing furiously, but the mark didn't come off. It didn't even fade.

The boys, who had run after Harry, sat waiting on their parents bed. The had an inkling they may have done something wrong. Harry came out of the shower, his towel wrapped around his waist, and being held together with one hand.

Ginny came into the bedroom, surprised to see the rest of the family in there. "Dada," said eleven month old Lily Luna, making the leap from Ginny's arms into Harry's.

Harry instinctively let go of the towel to catch his daughter. It dropped to his feet. James and Al snickered. Ginny let out a shriek.

"What's that?" she cried, pointing.

"Mummy, they're boys bits. You always say it's rude to point," said James.

"Bits," giggled Lily, her head on her daddy's shoulders.

"Not that, that," said Ginny, pointing again.

"Geez Gin, you're giving me a bit of a complex here. Seems your sons decided to colour in Daddy," he said, with a stern look at his sons.

"No Daddy, we gave you Mummy for a tootoo. G plus an inny makes Ginny," explained Al, just like James had told him.

Harry looked at his wife. "Help me out here, Gin. I can't go to the Burrow like this, your brothers would take the mickey out of me all afternoon. What about at work? You know I shower there after we do our physical training. I'll be the laughing stock of the department," whimpered Harry.

"All right, big baby, lay down and I'll get my wand. Boys, go gather your things to take to the Burrow. Remember to take a jacket," she yelled as they left to go to their rooms. Ginny took Lily from Harry and placed her down.

"Stay in the corner where Mummy can see you, Lily-loo," she crooned to Lily. She turned back to a naked Harry. "On the bed, Potter."

"I like it when you take control like that, Gin," smirked Harry. "Hey," he said, as she pushed him so he fell back spread-eagled on the bed. She moved to straddle him. "Now you're talking," he grinned, his hands on her waist.

"Mummy!" called Al, from down the hall.

"Not now, Al. Mummy and Daddy are busy. Go find James, and wait downstairs. Not now to you too, Mr Potter," she said, slapping his roaming hands away. She took out her wand. Harry moved his hands to cover his privates.

"Big baby, as if I'd do anything to them! I'm going for your belly button, silly. It's actually quite clever thinking. It's an inny with a G. I like it. Maybe you should keep it," she teased. Harry shot her a look. Neither of them noticed Lily crawl, then toddle out of their room.

"Mummy!" cried James.

"Not now, James. We'll be there soon, this won't take long. Hold still, Harry. Evanesco! Evanesco! Harry, it's not working. Why isn't it working? I only ever give the boys magical markers, so it should be coming off. Evanesco!"

"Um, Gin, the boys didn't use magical markers. They used the permanent marker in my office, the Muggle one."

Ginny stared down at him. "Well, that's just great, looks like your Ginny tootoo is here to stay. Let me kiss it better!"

She laughed as she leaned down to plant a kiss on his belly button, when there was a cough at the door.

"Ahem!"

Harry and Ginny shot up, Harry grabbing Ginny around the waist to stop her falling off him. There, in the doorway, waas Ron. He was holding Lily in his arms, while James and Al peeked around his legs.

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" asked Ron, amused.

"Bwoody," gurgled Lily, grabbing Ron's hair.

"Good one, Ron, teaching our daughter bad words," said Ginny, throwing him a dirty look.

"Well, I flooed over and asked your boys where you were, and James tells me you're upstairs getting busy, Al tells me it won't take long, and I find this little one neat the top of the stairs. Mind explaining?" he asked, rubbing his whiskery cheek against Lily's, causing her to shriek with glee.

"Well, er, you see," started Ginny, moving slightly off Harry, exposing his new markings.

"What the hell, er, heck is that?" asked Ron, pointing to it.

James sighed. "They're boys bits, don't YOU have any, Uncle Ron?"

Ginny smirked. "Oh, Auntie 'Mione looks after Uncle Ron's bits for him."

"Oy, Ginny," gasped Ron, while Harry burst out laughing. Ron noticed James and Al not discreetly looking at his groin area, so he deposited Lily on the bed, where she scrambled onto her daddy's chest.

"How about I take these two to the Burrow with me now, and you can come through when you're finished doing...whatever you're doing," suggested Ron.

"Can we go flying, Uncle Ron?" asked James. Ron nodded, following the boys out. He quickly popped his head back in their room. "Half an hour, or I'm coming back with Mum and Dad," he warned, waving as he left.

"Don't say a word to anyone," yelled Harry. When there was no reply, he fell back on the bed and groaned. He knew he would be getting teased all afternoon. Lily bounced on his chest, making Harry wince.

"What do you think of Daddy's new tattoo, Princess?" he asked, cuddling her to his side.

"Dada's bits," giggled Lily. Harry chuckled and kissed her cheek, blowing a raspberry on it. She shrieked with laughter, making Harry smile.

Life was never dull in his family, and he wouldn't want it any other way.

Of course, when he got the the Burrow, there was plenty of teasing. Molly and Hermione tried every spell they could think of, but when even one of Gilderoy Lockharts spells didn't work, they admitted defeat. Hermione came up with the idea of the Disillusionment charm, and Harry agreed it would have to do for work. Apart from that, he would have to wait for it to eventually wear off.

Three weeks later, Harry came home. He had spent the afternoon at a Cannons vs Tornadoes Quidditch match with Ron, which the Tornadoes won 170-20. It was over within half an hour, so they had gone to the pub for a drink. They sat with some other Cannons fans, drowning their sorrows, and looking forward to their next match, which they were sure they were going to win.

Harry left Ron, and was about to Apparate home, when he had an idea. He Apparated to Diagon Alley instead.

An hour later, he arrived home. He could smell a roast in the oven, and there was a treacle tart cooling on the bench. His mouth watered, for Ginny was as good a cook as her Mum. He heard giggles from upstairs, so he made his way there.

He peeked into Lily's room, to see his baby girl in her play pen. He gently stroked her ginger hair, so like Ginny's, and ran a finger down her satin cheek. She looked up at him, with the eyes of him, her brother, and his mother. Yet she gave him that blazing look that was all Ginny. His heart full of love for his daughter, he decided to go and check on his boys. He promised Lily he would be back to get her.

James and Al were in the bathtub. Harry wondered if Ginny knew they had gotten a hold of the magical bubble mix, and added more. The bubbles were threatening to spill over the edge of the bath. James was piling them on top of Al's head, while Al was making himself a bubble beard.

"Daddy! Did you get the tootoo? Can we see? Look at all our bubbles," they cried.

"Yes, I did, but I want to show Mummy first. Does she know about all these bubbles?" Harry asked.

The boys shook their heads. "Where is Mummy?" he asked them.

James and Al looked at each other. Harry got suspicious. "Boys, what did you do? Where's Mummy?"

"In your room. She's mad at us, and mad at you, too, Daddy," warned James. Al nodded, and began to chant, "you're in twouble, you're in twouble."

"Me? What did I do. Stay here, I'm going to find your Mum. No more bubbles in the bath, understand?"

Both boys nodded, and Harry left them to go find Ginny.

James stood up. "Let's go put some bubbles in the fish tank," he suggested.

"Won't we get in twouble?" asked Al.

"Daddy just said no more bubbles in the bath, he didn't say nothing about anywhere else, did he?"

Al shrugged. James was right, as usual.

"Let's go get Lily, we might need her help," said James.

Meanwhile Harry went into his bedroom, but there was no sign of Ginny. He heard noises coming from their ensuite bathroom, so he knocked on the door. "Gin, I'm home. Is everything all right? The boys said you were mad at them, and mad at me. What's going on?"

"Mad! I am beyond mad, especially with you!" she exclaimed, from behind the closed door.

"Gin, I have no idea what you are talking about. Please, love, come out. I want to show you something," said Harry.

"Ha, you won't be showing me anything for quite a while, Mister!" snarled Ginny.

Harry sighed and leant against the door. "Gin, I went and got a tattoo today. I wanted you to see it first, so I can explain."

There was silence for several seconds, then the bathroon door opened a fraction. Ginny's eyes were visible, but that was all he could see. "Show me," she said, curiously.

Harry shrugged off his jacket, and rolled up his sleeve. On his inner arm, he had a tattoo of an arrow.

"Al drew it, and James did the lettering, see how the J is a bit wonky. To me, that just makes it all the more perfect. The kids initials are at each point of ther arrow tip, see- J, A and L. Your name is is written along the shaft, see?"

"I don't get it," confessed Ginny, wrinkling her nose.

"Well, an arrow is pulled back, but it only goes forward. You, my love, are alongside me for the journey that is my life. The kids initials, well, that's our future. Understand?"

Ginny nodded, tears in her eyes. "It's beautiful, and colourful. The fact that the boys did it makes it even better."

"Now will you please come out and tell me what's going on?" he asked gently.

Ginny hesitated, then pulled the door open. She came into their bedroom. Harry gasped, before he could stop himself. Ginny's eyes filled with more tears.

"I won't be able to leave the house. My brothers will tease me to death. I can't believe you didn't throw that damn marker out. Look at me!" she cried.

High on Ginny's forehead was a thick, black lightening bolt drawn on with the permanent marker.

"Hermione and Rose were over, and we were talking about your Ginny tattoo. I mentioned I wouldn't mind getting something for you, like a lightening bolt. After they left, I put the kids down for an afternoon nap, and I lay down too, and must have fallen asleep. When I woke, James was standing over me. Oh, Harry, what am I going to do?"

Harry hid a chuckle as he consoled his wife. He glanced down at his arrow. No matter what mischief his kids pulled, they would always propel him forward, and he would strive to give them the best possible life. With his Ginny along for the ride, they could do anything.

Meanwhile, downstairs, James was explaining to Uncle Ron why his parents weren't around. "Mummy's showing Daddy her Hairy tootoo, and Daddy's showing Mummy his shaft," explained James.

Ron stared at his nephews, and shook his head. He didn't want to go upstairs again, Merlin knew what was going on this time. Something caught his eye. "James, Al, why are there bubbles coming out of the fish tank?"

"Oops," they cried, racing off.

Ron followed them into the lounge, rolling up his sleeves. "How many fish were there?" he asked the boys, prepared to scoop them out. He saw Lily sitting in the corner in just a nappy. Her hands in her mouth.

"Three," said James, while Al held up four fingers. "But we got 'em out before we put the bubbles in. We gave 'em to Lily to hold."

They all turned to look at Lily, who looked up at them and smiled. She had an orange tail sticking out of her mouth. With a big gulp, it was gone.

"Ew, gross, Lily," cried James. Al just cried.

Ron went to pick up Lily, and her soggy nappy fell off. "Did you eat the fishies, Lily-loo?" he asked, wincing as she kissed his cheek, as he knew what was last in her mouth. "Won-won," she giggled.

She pointed to a cat, sitting in the corner and licking it's paws. "Kitty," she said.

"Cool, it's a cat," said James and Al, running over to it and forgetting about the fish tank, which continued to bubble over and onto the rug.

"What is going on here?" cried Harry, coming down the stairs, Ginny close behind him.

"It's ok, I'm pretty sure Lily only ate one fish, your cat ate the rest," assured Ron.

"We don't have a cat, Ron, because we have fish. And what do you mean, Lily ate one?" asked Ginny, looking around at all the mess.

"Had fish, Gin. Had," smirked Ron.

"Does that mean we can keep the cat?" asked James, hopefully.

Ginny and Harry just looked at each other and shrugged.

"Woo hoo," cried James.

"Why is Lily naked?" asked Ginny.

"Silly Mummy, we didn't want her to get wet while she held the fishies. She wasn't 'sposed to eat them," explained James. Ginny nodded.

"Does that mean if a dwagon got in the house and ate the cat, we could keep the dwagon?" asked Al, thoughtfully.

"Meow," said the cat, running off to hide. The boys started to chase after it.

"Buddy 'ell," said Lily suddenly. The whole Potter family stopped to look at her. They watched as she peed all down Ron's side. Then they all started laughing like crazy.

Ron grimaced. Just another day in the crazy Potter house. Ginny came over to take Lily from him.

"Um, Gin, you've got a little something..." he said, pointing to her forehead with a smirk.

Later, after Hermione had removed the Bat-Bogeys from his face, he reflected on his nice, quiet house. His kids were asleep, the house was tidy, there were no signs of any drama, not like earlier at the Potter's.

"Thye're nutters over there, absolute nutters," he said to Hermione, as she brought him a cup of tea.

"Harry wouldn't have it any other way," said Hermione, with a laugh. Ron knew she was right.

As usual.


End file.
